Improvement in fruit-driers



F. S. PACKARD.

Frui -Driers. l

Patented Feb. 24,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEt FRANKLIN S. PACKARD, OF STURGIS, MICHIGAN.

IMPRCVEMENT IN FRUIT-DRIERS.

Specitication forming part of Letters Patent N0. 147,860, dated February 24, 1874; application filed February 14, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN S. PACKARD, of Sturgis, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented an Apparatus for Drying Fruits and Vegetables, of which the following is a specilication:

My invention relates to an apparatus for drying esculent fruits and vegetables, wherein two inclined parallel chambers are combined with some ordinary means for producing heat, and have communicating passages covered by registers, so as to regulate the heated air, as will be hereinafter more particularly explained.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a side elevation; Fig. 2, a` longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section through the line .fc x at Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A denotes the heating apparatus, consisting of a stove, A, inclosed in a metallic covering, N, the latter communicating with a chamber, D, through the pipe B, and the former with the chamber F, through the fine AThe heated air passes from the furnace into the anterior liue B, through the lower register C, into the drying-chamber D. The lower chamber, in which the greater length of the smoke-Hue is inclosed, is shown at F. The heat from this chamber passes into the upper chamber through the upper register G, at the line :c Fig. 2. These registers are slide-valves, situated over apertures coincident with them in the bottom of the dryingchamber. The upper one is shown more detinitely at Fig. 3, where a crate, H, to contain the fruit, is represented over the register, resting upon projections I. These extend the entire lower length of the chamber D at either side, to sustain the crates, which slide upon them until the foremost one is stopped in its downward passage by the lower edge being interceptedby the uppermost rollers J. These rollers are placed at the lower end ofthe dry.

in g-chamber. Fig. l represents the upper and lower chambers, with the continuation of the smokepipe E, extending from the lower chamber into the chimney K, surmounting the apparatus. A crate is put through the inlet at L, and placed over the upper register, (the lower one being also open,) so as to subject the fruit to a great heat, thereby coating it or forming an epidermis, the better to retain its aroma. This crate being moved downward, another one is put in its place. Crate thus succeeds crate until the foremost one rests its lower or front edge against the upper rollers. There it remains until the passage-way being lled, the operator, by a slight impetus being given to thelast crate placed in, (motion being communicated from one to the other,) causes the foremost crate to rise upon and over the rollers, and thus pass outward through the eXit-door M at the lower end of the chamber, where, with its contents, it falls into a receptacle placed there for receiving it.

It will thus be seen, by my method of econo- Inizing the heat and graduating it with convenience, as required, besides the simplicity of the operation, that my apparatus is well adapted to domestic purposes.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure y by Letters Patent, is-

1. 'lhe inclined parallel chambers D and F, having the communicating registers C and G, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the chamber D, the sectional crates H, ways or projections I, and rollers J, said rollers capable of being first used as a temporary stop for the crates, and then to facilitate their exit from the chamber, as set forth.

FRANKLIN S. PACKARD.

Witnesses:

E. W. PENDLETON, JOSEPH ZINK. 

